YÖK report on diploma investigation into İmamoğlu revealed

In a report prepared by the Council of Higher Education (YÖK) as part of the investigation launched into Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu regarding allegations of a fake diploma, it was stated that "it has been concluded that the procedures regarding the acceptance of the lateral transfer were not carried out in accordance with the regulations."

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YÖK report on diploma investigation into İmamoğlu revealed

The investigation launched by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office into allegations that Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (İBB) Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu's undergraduate diploma is fake is ongoing.

According to AA, details of the report prepared by YÖK and sent to the prosecutor's office as part of the investigation have been obtained.

The report states that as of the period when İmamoğlu made his lateral transfer, he had received 2 years of education in the Business Administration English Program at the University College of Northern Cyprus (UCNC) and had a general grade point average of 2.50 across all courses, and noted the following:

"Although he met the conditions set forth in Article 5 of the regulation on the principles of lateral transfer at the associate and undergraduate levels between Higher Education Institutions, it is understood that the University College of Northern Cyprus was not one of the universities recognized by YÖK in 1990, the year the individual made the lateral transfer, and that the recognition of the relevant university was only decided by the Higher Education Executive Board in 1993; therefore, UCNC was not among the universities to which a lateral transfer could be made in 1990."

The report, which states that based on the letters from the YÖK Presidency dated 1988 and 1992, only the Eastern Mediterranean University was recognized among the higher education institutions operating in the TRNC, used the following expressions: "Considering the aforementioned correspondence, it is understood that the condition of recognition of higher education institutions in foreign countries was sought in lateral transfer procedures; therefore, it is observed that the lateral transfer procedures from UCNC, which had no recognition, were not carried out by the Istanbul University Faculty of Business Administration Dean's Office in accordance with the decisions of the Council of Higher Education."

The report included information that in decision number 2 of the meeting numbered 22 of the Istanbul University Faculty of Business Administration Board of Directors dated June 27, 1990, the lateral transfer quotas were set at 15 for the second year, 10 for the third year, and 10 for the fourth year of the Business Administration (Turkish) Department, and 10 for the second year, 5 for the third year, and 5 for the fourth year of the Business Administration (English) Department, totaling 55 students.

The report further stated that in the announcement published by the Istanbul University Rectorate in the Milliyet newspaper on July 30, 1990, a total of 40 quotas were determined for the Business Administration Turkish program and 20 for the Business Administration (English) program, and it was emphasized that the relevant newspaper advertisement stated that lateral transfer applications could be made until the end of official working hours on September 14, 1990, at the latest.

The report stated that in the decision of the Istanbul University Faculty of Business Administration Board of Directors dated September 12, 1990, the total quota of 60 people announced separately for the Business Administration Turkish and Business Administration English programs was increased by one-third to 80 for lateral transfers to be made from universities in foreign countries.

The report explained that the quotas for the Business Administration Turkish and Business Administration English programs were combined in the Business Administration English program, and that the decision of the faculty board of directors dated September 12, 1990, accepted the lateral transfer applications of 51 students who applied for lateral transfer to the Business Administration English program from higher education institutions in foreign countries, and included the following statements:

"There is no legal justification for how the university determined the Business Administration Turkish and Business Administration English lateral transfer quotas, how the quota transfer and quota increase between the Business Administration Turkish and Business Administration English programs were carried out, why 51 of the determined quotas were used for the Business Administration English program, and why the lateral transfer applications were evaluated and decided upon by the Faculty Board of Directors at its meeting dated September 12, 1990, and numbered 24, even though it was stated that lateral transfer applications would be made until the end of official working hours on Friday, September 14, based on the documents provided by the relevant university rectorate and sent to us. Based on all these evaluations, it has been concluded that the subject of the investigation was not carried out by the Istanbul University Faculty of Business Administration Dean's Office in accordance with the decisions and procedures of the Council of Higher Education regarding recognition, lateral transfer, lateral transfer quotas, announcement periods, and procedures for accepting lateral transfers."

News Source: 12punto